iPad Competitors Boast Superior Features Including Augmented Reality

Well it's never long after some new product comes out that others join the game, offering their own alternatives and imitations of the latest cool gadget. Apple's iPad has been out long enough now that there are some significant competitors looking for a cut of Apple's share. Here is a few of the competitors entering the race, and their features may give Apple a run for it.

In a just-released teaser video, Samsung's Galaxy Tab offers a sneak peak at the latest iPad challenger. Gizmodo described the device as a tablet small enough to grip with one hand, reportedly boasting a 1024 x 600 AMOLED screen and featuring Android 2.2. There's a 3.2 mega pixel back-facing camera and a VGA front-facing one. If you have big enough hands for a one-handed grab, this could be a good size for you.

Samsung plans to release the new toy on September 2 at the IFA trade show in Berlin, Germany. Apparently, it's equipped with augmented reality furniture features and video call, as well as full web browsing.

Samsung's leap into the tablet world is just the latest addition to widening field. HP has a tablet to be released later this year that would run on Windows 7 and support Flash, something Apple has yet to do. It has a camera and USB ports, which would be quite nice in a tablet.

The Axiotron ModBook tablet is still around - basically a modified MacBook that's been around since 2007. In fact, many consider this to be the 'original iPad,' though it features no multitask or 3G modem. The customer has to provide his or her own MacBook in addition to Axiotron's modification charges.

We've heard a bit about the JooJoo, formerly known as the CrunchPad. JooJoo features a virtual keyboard made for one-handed typing that is smaller than the iPad's and can be dragged around the screen and out of the way.

Archos is another Apple competitor who's created a tablet - the Archos 9 PC Tablet and their largest to date. It's pretty inexpensive, runs Windows, supports Flash, multitasking, and has 2 USB ports, an SD card slot and webcam. The screen is not multitouch, however, so Apple still leads the way in that aspect.

Dell is in on the game as well with its Streak tablet. It's meant for a different crowd than the iPad with its considerably larger 9.7-inch display, front and rear cameras, USB ports, micro SD slots, and perhaps an unlocked 3G modem.

Take a look at a few others featured and keep an eye out for Samsung's tablet - with the inclusion of cameras in most new systems, tit will be interesting to see what augmented reality apps come out for tablets this year.